Help Me, Please
by Awen Sofer
Summary: Iruka Umino is her college professor.  At first, she just needs help to pass his class.  Then he helps her change her life.  OC/AU
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

First Impressions

Day One:

Keiko tried to slip into the classroom quietly and unseen. She was fifteen minutes late for her very first Mathematical Theory class. She hated math. Numbers had never made much sense to her, but it was a required course so there was no escape. She slid into the first chair by the door on the top level of the auditorium style seating in the room. Her eyes scanned the classroom to see that there was only ten other students, and they were all down front on the two lowest levels of seating. Oh, dear. So much for sneaking in.

The teacher, Mr. Iruka Umino, was looking straight at her, the glare of his dark brown eyes setting her face on fire with embarrassment. He had long dark brown hair pulled up in a ponytail at the back of his head instead of at the nape of his neck. His skin was a warm brown color like brown sugar; however, that withering look he was giving her didn't make him look so sweet. He had the strangest scar that went across his nose yet it did not detract from his looks at all. He appeared to be young maybe even close to her age. Teachers weren't supposed to look like that; not even in college. They weren't supposed to be handsome and they sure weren't supposed to be, in a word, HOT. College professors were supposed be bald or long haired (with the greasy looking ponytail at the nape of their neck); dirty old men who smoked pipes and preyed on their young beautiful students for favors in return for good grades.

"Would you like to join the rest of us down here?" he inquired, putting his hands on hips when she did not move.

"Y-yes, sir," she stammered, grabbing her book and her bag to carefully make her way down to everyone else. She was notorious for being clumsy and didn't feel like taking a tumble down the stairs.

"Please try to be on time in the future. Class begins at nine a.m., Miss…what's your name?" he asked.

"Keiko Mitsukume, sir," she replied, getting the typical snorts and giggles reaction to her name. Yes, she knew it meant blessing of the honey bear, and it just wasn't funny anymore. Her eyebrows drew together at the big grin of delight on his face.

"Now, as I was saying, rational numbers …"

Keiko crossed her arms over her chest attempting to pay attention, but it just made no sense at all to her. She loved words and preferred to explore the joy of language, written and spoken alike. Her mind thought back to the Shakespeare production of _Romeo and Juliet_ she had seen a week ago. Poetic and lovely, it is a tragic love story that would just be pitiful if written in common, everyday language.

"Miss Mitsukume!" he said loudly to get her attention. "Class is over. You may leave."

Keiko jumped up, slinging her heavy bag over her shoulder. There was a little too much momentum from the loaded book bag when it swung and hit her in the back. She was sent her flying forward and would have fallen if not for the swift reaction of her teacher who moved to catch her in his arms before her face hit the floor. She looked up to be greeted by another amused smile on his face. Another blush of embarrassment warmed her cheeks when she found herself in his arms and against his body.

"Th-thank y-you," she stuttered, placing her hands on his chest to push herself to a standing position. His chest felt taut and muscled beneath the thin cotton button down shirt he wore with a dark green solid colored tie knotted loosely at the open collar. She gave him a brief, shy smile and moved toward the door.

"Be on time tomorrow!" he called after her as she departed from the classroom in a hurry.

Keiko was beyond embarrassed; she was downright humiliated. First impressions were never her strong suit and once again, she had successfully made a truly bad one.

* * *

><p>Week Two:<p>

Keiko had her chin propped on her hand as she listened to Mr. Umino's lecture on how you can use mathematical theories to prove that two plus two can equal five. She doodled on her notebook with her pen because she didn't know what to write down. It all sounded like pointless gibberish so she wasn't sure what was really important and what wasn't. Her eyelids drooped, and she shook her head to wake herself up. She hated her terrible job which kept her out far too late. It the only job she could find that paid enough money for her to afford both rent and food so she was stuck with it. The next time drowsiness overwhelmed her, her eyes shut completely and her head fell forward onto her book with a dull thumping sound that was loud enough to catch the attention of the other students and the teacher. Amazingly enough, the face plant in her textbook did not wake her up. When the sound of her snores began to emanate from between the pages of her makeshift pillow, Mr. Umino flung a ruler at her which delivered a sharp sting as it hit her ear.

"Ow!" she cried out, sitting up with her hand over her ear. Her eyes landed on her teacher who only sighed and shook his head before continuing his lecture.

Wow! She was doing an awesome job of impressing this teacher. 

* * *

><p>Week Three:<p>

Today they would be getting their first test back. Keiko stared at her paper that appeared to be bleeding from all of the red ink marring it. Her eyes filled with tears when saw the big fat F in the corner in thick red slashes. She barely listened through the rest of class as she attempted to get over the bitter disappointment of the failing grade. To make matters worse, she had been late again today which unfortunately was not unusual for her. Her fingers gingerly touched her sore bruised ribs. Things had gotten a little out of hand with a customer at work last night, and she had gotten caught in the middle. She had been trying to find a different job, but so far had found nothing.

"Miss Mitsukume, can you please stay?" Mr. Umino requested as the other students bee lined for the door after class.

Keiko stayed seated in her chair at her table as they waited for the last person to leave. She watched him carefully as he walked up to the second level where she sat. She held her breath with nervous anticipation as he stared down at her with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What is wrong with you?" he inquired bluntly.

"Sir?" she asked in confusion from the rude question.

"You can't get to class on time. You fall asleep during my lectures, and you're failing. I know it's only been three weeks but if we're both wasting our time, you should just withdraw from my class now. At least you will have a withdrawal on your record instead of an F," he said, staring at her with hard eyes.

"I don't understand this stuff. I'm trying. I really am, but my mind just doesn't understand numbers. I fall asleep because I work a night job. I'm trying to find a new one, but it's really hard. Mr. Umino, please," she begged. "Can you recommend a tutor? I need someone to help me with this. I have to pass this class because it's required."

Keiko held her breath as he sighed noisily, walking back down to his desk. She observed him intently as he scribbled something a piece of paper and brought it back up to her. She took the paper from him to see it was an address that he had written down.

"Be at that address at ten o'clock Saturday morning," he said.

"But I –" she began to protest but he immediately cut her off.

"Ten o' clock Saturday morning. It is imperative that you arrive on time. Do you understand?"

"I understand, sir."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Keiko set her alarm for eight although she didn't get to bed until five o'clock. She didn't want to be late. When the alarm went off, she dragged her body out of bed and into the shower. She dressed in jeans and a tank top, skipped makeup, and pulled her shoulder length dark brown hair into a simple ponytail. Breakfast was an extra tall coffee with lots of sugar that she drank on the way to her destination. She found the address in the middle of a picture perfect neighborhood. All of the houses looked alike with minor differences such as color or if the garage was located on the left or right side of the house. Each had a perfectly manicured lawn; some were elaborately decorated with fountains and flower gardens. She found the house in the middle of a block with a plain but tidy yard. She parked her car on the street next to the curb instead of the driveway.

A little boy about six years old with blond spiky hair was playing on the small front porch with his fire engines and police cars. He looked up at her with the biggest, bluest eyes she had ever seen.

"Hi," she said, stifling the urge to say 'awwww' as he smiled up at her. She pushed the doorbell, holding her book tightly against her chest.

"Are you here to see my Daddy?" he asked, standing up.

"I-I guess so," she stammered. She wasn't sure who she was here to see; he hadn't told her. She jumped when the door opened. Her hazel eyes grew wide when she saw Mr. Umino standing there in khaki shorts and a red t shirt.

"You're on time," he remarked with surprise, stepping aside to allow her to come in. "Are you coming inside as well, Naruto?" he asked the little boy.

"Do I have to? Can I stay outside and play a little longer?" he whined.

"Yes. Why don't you go to the backyard?" he suggested.

"Okay, Daddy," the child replied, running between them to dart through the house.

"He's very cute," Keiko said, watching him run out of the glass french doors that opened to big backyard complete with a pool.

"Thank you. Shall we?" he asked, putting his hand on her elbow to lead her to the kitchen table. The whole back yard could be seen through the huge windows in the room.

"I had no idea you would be my tutor," she said, placing her book on the table and opening it.

"Well, it seems you need all the help you can get so I thought I should do it myself," he stated wryly.

"Gee, thanks," she rejoined sarcastically.

"All right. I suppose the best place to begin is from the beginning."

Two hours later, Keiko had a headache from all of the mathematical jargon swimming around in her brain. She groaned and dropped her head onto her book. She felt like she was on the verge of tears. She could tell Mr. Umino was frustrated and tired as well.

"Should we just stop for the day?" she asked finally.

"Yeah. I suppose so. I believe you're beyond your capacity for anymore today anyway," he said, getting up from the table.

"You know, sometimes you make it really hard to not be insulted."

"Why don't you come back tomorrow at two?"

"Are you kidding? Do I not get a day off from school at all?"

"Okay, I'm not beyond bribing you. If you come over and study for two or three hours, I'll cook dinner for you. How about that?"

Keiko would definitely take him up on that offer. It would be nice to be able to eat something besides noodles and canned soup. 

* * *

><p>Keiko startled her teacher by arriving on time again the next day. Naruto greeted her then scurried off to play.<p>

"Is he always so active?" she inquired.

"Always," he replied, scrutinizing her face when they sat down at the table. "How did you get that bruise on your face?"

"I tripped when I was getting out of bed this morning and fell against my bedside table. You've seen how clumsy I can be," she said, doubting he believed the lie but hoping he did at the same time. She had left her hair down in an attempt to hide the purplish mark sitting high on her cheekbone near her temple.

"Tell me something and be honest this time," he stated in a no nonsense tone of voice. "What kind of work do you do?"

"That's really none of your business," she replied. "Am I here to study or what?"

"Fair enough. You can tell me when you're ready," he said, immediately dropping the discussion to move on to their real purpose.

After working with her for two hours, he allowed her to take a break while he began preparing dinner.

"Can I walk outside?" she asked.

"Sure. Go ahead," he responded.

Keiko walked out of the back door to explore the backyard. There was a little cottage behind the pool that she assumed was the pool house. A massive oak tree took up one whole corner of the yard. She smiled as she looked at the tree house that been built right at the top of the trunk where all of the branches divided off.

"Hey!" Naruto called, waving at her. "Want to come up?"

"Sure," she replied. She bit her lip nervously as she looked at the makeshift ladder nailed to the wide trunk of the tree. She held her breath and began to climb. Heights were not her favorite thing. She pulled herself through the entrance cut in the middle of the floor, sitting cross legged next to it.

"Are you going to be coming here a lot?" he asked.

"I'm not sure. I need a lot of help. I'm having a tough time in your dad's class," she said.

"I wouldn't mind it if you came here a lot. You seem nice," he said, smiling at her.

"Well, thank you. Hey, where's your Mom?" she asked. She had not seen any sign that a woman even lived in the house.

"I don't have a mom. It's always just been me and Daddy. I'm adopted you know," he stated openly.

Keiko smiled at him as he looked her. That explains a lot; she was wondering why the child looked so different from him. He sat down on the floor beside her, dragging over some of his favorite toys. She was more than happy to play with him. He was a charming, sweet little thing who was hard to resist. He talked incessantly as he played.

"Hey! Where are you guys hiding?" Mr. Umino's voice echoed across the backyard. "Dinner's ready."

"Okay, Daddy!" Naruto yelled, scrambling down the ladder and disappearing before she could even move to the hole in the floor.

Keiko dropped to the ground rather than climbing down the last few steps. She turned, gasping when she saw her teacher standing there staring at her.

"Well, come on slowpoke," he said, waving for her to hurry up.

"He's fast," she remarked. "I wish I had just a little bit of his energy."

"I know what you mean," he rejoined, shoving his hands in the pockets of his shorts. "When would you like to come back for another lesson?"

"Never," she answered, making them both chuckle lightly because she was only half way joking.

"What about Tuesday afternoon?" he asked.

"Sure." Keiko's mouth began to water when the delicious smells entered her nose. She stared at the plates of roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. "Wow! That looks wonderful."

"I thought you could use a treat. I remember what it was like to be a college student."

"Hasn't really been that long has it?"

"I'm probably a little older than you think. Hey! Naruto! Where are you?" he called.

"I'm coming," the vivacious child responded, sliding into the room. He slammed right into Keiko and shoved her into his father's arms.

"Seems like we've done this before," Mr. Umino commented as he looked down at her with a big grin on his face.

"At least this time it wasn't my fault," she giggled, standing back up quickly to muss the blond's already wild hair.

"Let's eat! I'm starving!" Naruto exclaimed.

They all sat down at the table to eat. Keiko was not only thrilled with the food, but the company was great too. This was so much better than eating crappy food alone in her dumpy little apartment. They continued to talk even after Naruto had finished and ran off somewhere.

"Oh! What time is it?" she gasped suddenly, rifling through her purse to find her phone.

"It's eight o'clock," Mr. Umino answered after checking his watch.

"Oh, I've got to go! I've got to be at work in an hour," she murmured, gathering her things. She hurried to the door with him following behind her. "Thank you so much, Mr. Umino. The food was great! I'll see you tomorrow in class."

"Good-bye and be careful," he called after her as she ran out the door.

" 'Bye!"

Keiko showered quickly, applied her make up, and put on her a red dress with a neckline that opened all the way down to her belly. The skirt was wide an full but stopped about four inches above her knee. She amazed herself by arriving at work on time. Her boss greeted her at the door, kissing her on the lips which made her want to vomit. She hated it when he did that.

"I've already got a customer asking for you," Denji said. "He's sitting at table nine."

Keiko nodded and deposited her purse in her locker, throwing in her flat black shoes that she just took off. She slipped into her red rhinestone studded six inch heels.

"Time to shine," she muttered to herself, smoothing her hair down. She plastered on a big fake smile as she opened the door to enter the club. She had been working as a hostess for six months now. It was her job to flirt and drink with men, convincing them to spend money – lots of money. She wasn't a hooker; she didn't have sex with them. What she did was far worse. She played mind games with them; pretending she cared and was interested in them when that couldn't be further from the truth.

At table nine a big man with wild spiky white hair and black eyes waited for her. He was quite handsome in a very virile, masculine way with his square jaw and sharp nose. He was quite a treat after having to look at pretty, almost girly, boys at college all day. He was dressed in black dress pants and red silk shirt that was unbuttoned halfway down his chest. How funny – they matched. A genuine smile replaced the plastic one when she came closer to him. She liked this man; he was a frequent customer of hers and would ask for her by name. He was funny and nice though he could be a little perverted at times but it was usually in a comical way. He liked to ask her questions about her experiences on the job because he was a novelist specializing in raunchy romance novels.

"Hello, Jiraiya," she said, kissing him on the cheek after she sat down beside him.

"Hello, sweetheart. How's my favorite girl?" he asked, putting his arm around her shoulders.

"Tired. I've got a teacher busting my behind to learn math concepts that are nearly impossible for me to understand," she complained. She caught the bartender's attention, pointing to the man sitting next to her. The bartender nodded that he understood to prepare the usual drinks for them.

"Oh, you'll be fine. You're a smart girl. It will be a sad day for me when you leave and I don't get to see you anymore," he stated gloomily, kissing her on the cheek. "So got anything interesting to tell me?"

"You bet," she responded, handing him his drink as she took her customary glass of champagne. She proceeded to tell him about the incident that led to the bruise on her cheek.

"He did that, huh?" Jiraiya asked, still able to see the bruise despite the dim lighting in the room.

"Yeah. Why is it that some men still insist on believing that no means yes when it does in fact mean no? And besides, this isn't that kind of place. I guess he was too stupid to notice there's an escort club across the street," she fussed, sighing deeply. She reached for the bottle of champagne to refill her glass. She kicked off her shoes and placed her feet in his lap.

"Keiko, why don't you leave here? I hate to see you go, but this just is not the kind of job you should be working," he said, rubbing her feet.

"That's why I'm going to college – to get out of this hell hole. It's the only place where I can make enough money to keep from starving to death," she explained.

"I could take care of you. You could live in my apartment that I use when I'm here in the city. The rest of the time it just sits empty," he said, moving up to massage her calves.

"And just how would I be expected to repay you?" she asked as if she didn't already have an idea.

"Well, I'm sure we could find some kind of suitable compensation," he replied, sliding his hand up her thigh and under skirt.

"Yeah. That's exactly what I thought. I like you, but I don't like you that much," she responded, placing her hand over his to stop its upward slide to the area between her legs.

"I'll leave the offer open. Just think about it," he urged, removing his hand from beneath her skirt.

As far as Keiko was concerned there was nothing to think about. She liked Jiraiya well enough; he was handsome and she enjoyed his company but she refused to be a kept woman. It would be a form of slavery and worse yet, she would be a sex slave, expected to give it to him when and how he wanted it. That would be worse than this job.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Keiko arrived at the house before her teacher because he had gone to pick up Naruto from school. She was just getting out of her car when they pulled into the driveway. She was surprised by the little boy when he ran to her and jumped into her arms.

"Hi, Keiko!" he exclaimed, hugging her tightly around the neck.

"Hi, kiddo. Hey, you want to help me?" she asked, handing him her book bag which probably weighed as much as him. To her great shock, he took off toward the house with the heavy bag not seeming to notice its weight.

"You're getting good. You were a little early today," Mr. Umino commented as he unlocked the door of the house.

"What can I say? You're inspiring me to do better," she said, smiling at him as he held the door open for her. She smiled even harder when she noticed the blush that tinted his darkly tanned cheeks.

"Why don't you sit down and get started? I'll be there in just a minute," he said, going to the stairs to yell up to Naruto. "Hey! Number one, hyperactive, knucklehead son of mine! You want a snack?"

"Believe it, Dad!" the high-spirited child yelled back.

Keiko couldn't help but chuckle a little bit as she listened to the exchange between the father and son. She buried her face in her book when he walked back in so he wouldn't see her big amused grin.

"Do you want something?" he asked, almost laughing when her head appeared above the book reminding him of a prairie dog popping out of the ground.

"Iced tea, please," she requested, laying her book flat on the table. She began reading and immediately a headache blossomed in her right temple.

"What's wrong?" He sat down in front of her, sliding the glass toward her.

"I just don't know how to make my brain comprehend this. There has to be some way to make me grasp this. Something that will help me to understand," she stated with exasperation, tapping her forehead.

"What do you like? What really makes you happy?"

"Reading. Literature. Poems. Plays."

"Okay. Words. Language. Let me think," he said, pressing his fingers into his temples as if it would squeeze an idea into his brain. "I've got it. In basic terms Mathematical Theory is proving a concept using math rules. It doesn't necessarily have to be right, just possible. It's actually abstract thinking."

Keiko stared at him blankly. She shook her head, wondering where he was going with this.

"Like writing a persuasive speech. You have an opinion or an idea you want to present to people and make them see why it's a valid opinion – to make them understand your way of thinking." He got excited when something sparked in her eyes and began talking faster. "You use facts and opinions to support your 'theory' if you will think of it in those terms. It's the same thing with Mathematical Theory except your using mathematical concepts and rules to support why something could be possible in math."

"Oh, my god!" she yelled, standing up. "I think I understand."

"Really? Have you got?" he asked, standing up in front her.

"I do. I really believe I do!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down in unrestrained joy. Without thinking, she moved forward to embrace him tightly, just stopping short of kissing him.

"Did I miss something? What's everyone so happy about?" Naruto asked, staring at them suspiciously.

"Uh, I just finally understood what your daddy has been trying to teach me," she said, quickly letting his father go and grabbing him to prop him on her hip.

"I don't get it," he mumbled, shaking his head.

"Remember how good it felt the first time you were able to say the whole alphabet with no help?" she asked.

"Yeah. I was so proud of me!" he squealed, mashing her cheeks between his little hands.

"Then you know how I feel," she replied.

"Way to go, Keiko!" he exclaimed, then suddenly grew very sad. "But does that mean you won't be coming over here anymore for Daddy to help you?"

"Uh…I guess so," she answered, feeling quite sad about it herself.

"No. It doesn't mean that," Mr. Umino said quickly, blushing darkly because he had been a little too vehement with his protest. "I'm sure she will still need a little help."

"Whatever, Daddy. Just as long as I still get to play with her," Naruto said, kissing her on the cheek before he wiggled out of her grip.

"He really likes you," he commented, smiling warmly at her.

"I really like him too," she responded, unable to meet his gaze. She was afraid she was beginning to really like his Daddy as well.

"So Friday night then?"

"What?"

"Will you come back over Friday night to study? There's a big test on Monday."

"Okay. Sure."

* * *

><p>Keiko sat in the corner of the club, hoping none of the men would notice her. She pressed herself harder into the booth as if willing herself to disappear into the furniture itself. She had been at work for three hours now and no man had talked her which was fine with her. Of course that meant no money, and her boss was beginning to give her evil looks. She decided she better do something before he burned a whole through her with his piercing glares.<p>

"Hi. Can I talk to you?" a pleasant male voice asked her just as she was about to get up.

Keiko looked up to see a tall, thin man with overly long spiked white hair and dark eyes. When he slid in next to her, she could see that he was actually quite young, near her age probably. He had a narrow face with a pointy chin and a scar running from his eyebrow down to his cheek over his left eye. She returned the friendly smile on his face. She had never seen him before, and he did not seem like the typical customer of a hostess club. He could do quite well finding himself a woman anywhere and certainly did not need to pay for companionship and conversation.

"What's your name?" he asked, moving close to her.

"Keiko. What about you?" she asked in return.

"Kakashi Hatake," he answered.

"You didn't have to tell me your last name." She signaled to the waitress to come over.

"I know, but I think you should know it. You'll be seeing a lot of me," he said.

"Oh?" she inquired, off handedly. This guy was making her nervous. "What would you like to drink? Tell the young lady here what you want and order anything for me." She retreated to the corner of the booth to put a little distance between them when he turned his attention back to her. Her body stiffened when he moved so close his thigh was pressed against hers.

"You see, we actually have a mutual acquaintance – your teacher, Iruka Umino," he said, putting his hand on her knee. "I'm sure you wouldn't want him to know where you work, now would you?"

Keiko's mouth immediately went dry and her pulse quickened. 'Who is this guy? How does he know Mr. Umino?' she wondered, avoiding his leering gaze. "Why should I care? It's just a job. I'm not a hooker. Besides, I've got to pay my bills somehow," she remarked, faking a nonchalant attitude.

"Sweetheart, here's the thing. You've managed to really piss me off by getting his attention. I don't think you know this, but your teacher, the one you have a crush on…yes, I know that too," he murmured, when her eyes widened into big round circles. He gave her a second to recover before he continued. He wanted her to hear and understand every word he was saying to her. "He's bisexual, and he was all mine before you came along."

Well, isn't this interesting. Keiko finished off her drink and poured herself another. She shoved his drink into his hand, bumping her glass against his in a toast. "To us and our really screwed up connection," she said, raising her glass to her lips. She suddenly giggled with her unintentional pun which hadn't been lost on him either by the smirk on his face.

"You might not be so bad after all. I might learn to like you myself," he murmured, sliding his hand up her thigh and under her skirt. Apparently he swung both ways as well.

"You can stop that right now. If you're looking for something else you can go across the street," she informed him, attempting to remove his hand from her thigh.

"The only thing I was specifically looking for was you. Just to talk," he whispered in her ear, digging his fingers into her thigh until it hurt. "Now that I've found you, I think I might want that something else."

Oh, god, she needed to find a new job. Not only had she learned something about Mr. Umino that she really did not want to know, she had been hunted down by a man she did not know - or want to know.

"When do you get off of work, sweetheart?" he asked, toying with the ribbons of her corset style top.

"Around two. Why?" she inquired apprehensively, holding her breath as his fingers skimmed her ample cleavage over the tight fitting top.

"Because I'm taking you home with me," he replied confidently, sliding his fingers between her thighs.

"No, I'm not," she growled, pushing him away.

"Okay, fine. I'll just tell your beloved teacher what you really are," he threatened, pulling away from her.

"I'm not _that_. Tell him whatever you want. I don't care," she retorted, glad that his hands were off of her.

"But you do care, my dear," he accused, and he was right.

"So what do you me to do?"

"I want you to leave him alone. Never go over to his house again."

"I can't do that. He's tutoring me to get through his class."

"Find another tutor."

"No," she responded emphatically. She didn't know who this guy was or who the hell he thought he was, but she refused to be bullied.

"Then you're coming home with me," he insisted, grabbing her arm and roughly jerking her toward him.

Keiko was beginning to tire of this circular conversation. She resigned herself to the fact that he was simply not going to just go away. Instead she went into full hostess mode, talking and flirting with him, getting him as drunk as she possibly could. Her best bet at this point was to get him plastered and pour him into cab to send him home. By one thirty in the morning she had finally accomplished her goal. She watched with relief as the bouncer threw the man over his shoulder and carried him out of the door to dispose of him in a taxi.

"What the hell was that?" her boss Denji demanded as she was getting ready to leave.

"Can you do me a favor? If he ever comes in here again, can you make sure he gets one of the other girls? He really creeped me out," Keiko said, shuddering from the mere thought of him.

"Anything for my best girl. If it makes you feel any better, you made a killing off that creep," he said, handing her fifty dollars. Usually he never gave the girls money right off the top so that guy must have spent a fortune.

"Not really, but thanks, Denji. Is there any way I can Friday night off? I have a midterm coming up that I have to study for," she explained, hoping desperately that he would grant her request.

"Sure, baby, no problem. Can I have a little kiss?" he asked, leaning forward expectantly. He wasn't a bad looking guy, but he was terribly perverted and he was her boss.

Keiko quickly pecked him on the cheek and made a swift escape to the door.

"Keiko, you tease!" he yelled after her playfully.

Freaky customers like that Kakashi guy reminded her why she hated this job. She hoped she would never see him again, but she had the distinct feeling of dread that told her tonight was only the beginning of her problems with him. 

* * *

><p>SatsurikuSajira this one was for you. Thanks for suggesting Kakashi as a jealous lover. He has always struck me as a freak who hides it deep inside.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Friday night came and it was time to study for her test. Keiko arrived just in time for dinner. After dinner, they opened the books to begin studying. They had not been at it long when Mr. Umino received a phone call. She tried not to eavesdrop, but it was hard not to. His voice was raised in irritation, and he was standing only a few feet away. Although she could only hear one side of the conversation, it sounded pretty serious.

"Why are you calling me?" he asked again. "I told you it was over…No, I won't…Go ahead then, I dare you."

Keiko began reading to distract herself, but it didn't help much. She could hear the broken, defeated tone in his voice when he started talking again.

"All right…I'll be right over…Just don't do anything stupid," he said, then hung up with an exasperated sigh. "Keiko, I hate to ask you this, but is there any way you can stay with Naruto? I need to help a special friend of mine."

"Sure. I don't mind staying with him," she said, giving him a nervous smile. He suddenly looked so tired and worried. "I hope everything will be okay."

"Yeah. Me, too. I'll be back as soon as I can, okay?" He grabbed his keys and headed for the door. He called Naruto, giving him a hug and kiss on the cheek. "I've got to go help a friend who's in a little bit of trouble. You be good for Keiko."

"Okay, Daddy, I will," the sweet little blond responded with a very sad face.

Keiko went to him and picked him up as they both watched his Daddy leave. There was something serious going on here that she didn't understand, but Naruto seemed to grasp it without any words being said.

"Hey, Blondie, what ya wanna do now?" she asked, bouncing him on her hip.

"I don't wanna do anything, Keiko," he sniffed.

"Oh, sweetie," she sighed, kissing him on the forehead. She thought the child was just missing his Daddy. She did not know that this scenario had been played out many times in the past and always with bad results, particularly for his father. 

* * *

><p>Keiko was asleep on the couch with Naruto in her arms when a loud bang woke her up. She was disoriented and unsure as to what had startled her. Then she heard another sound like someone trying to walk up stairs, but they kept falling down or crashing into the wall. She eased Naruto off her chest and lay him on the couch, wrapping him in the blanket. She went to the staircase to see his father sitting on the stairs near the top with his hand on his forehead. Her heart beat faster with fear as she ran up to see what was wrong. She could smell him when she was still several steps below him. He smelled like alcohol, cigarettes, and – sex. Just where in the hell had this man been?<p>

"Oh, my god," she gasped when she saw the blood streaming through his fingers.

"Keiko!" he yelled in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

'I was babysitting your son, dumbass, while you were out getting fucked up – literally and figuratively,' she thought to herself and decided to just keep it a thought. She had grown up with an alcoholic father so she knew how to take care of a drunk. Without saying a word, she pulled his arm around her shoulders and prodded him to stand up.

"Come on. Can you tell me which room is yours?" she asked, wondering if he was too drunk to know.

"That one," he slurred out thickly.

Keiko followed his finger, pretty much dragging him into the room and to the bathroom. She unceremoniously dumped him in the tub, reasoning that a few more bruises and bumps wouldn't matter when he was suffering through the hangover tomorrow. She moved his hand to examine the wound on his forehead. He had a cut above his right eye, possibly from hitting the railing on the staircase as he was stumbling up the stairs. She began unbuttoning his shirt, sighing with aggravation as his head lolled to the side. If he wasn't in such bad shape, she could have enjoyed seeing his bare muscular chest. However in his present state she was totally disgusted by him.

"Keiko, what are you doing?" he asked, grabbing her hands as she tried to unbutton and unzip his pants.

"I'm trying to get you out of these clothes. You need a shower. You're a mess and you stink," she growled, slapping his hands away so she could finish undressing him. Even though she had fantasized about getting him out of his clothes, it NEVER included a scenario like this. There was absolutely nothing romantic or stimulating about this situation. When he was naked, she turned on the water, smiling with sadistic glee when he screamed from the freezing cold blast. Ha ha, got what you deserved there. "Sorry. My bad," she apologized insincerely as the water began to turn warm.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked, shivering uncontrollably. He seemed a little more sober now.

"Because you need help. I don't want your son to see you like this," she snapped angrily, cleaning the cut on his forehead. "This might need stitches."

"I'm not going to the hospital," he muttered stubbornly.

"Fine, whatever. Do you want to do the honors or would you like for me to do it?" she asked, holding out the soapy washcloth to him.

"I'll do it," he groused angrily, snatching it from her.

"Have fun with that," she retorted, sitting on the side of the tub with her back to him. "Let me know when you're done." She was impatiently waiting when suddenly she felt herself being pulled over into the tub on top of him. She screamed as the water streamed down on her, soaking her to the skin through her clothes. "Are you crazy?" she screamed, clawing her way out of the tub like a wet cat. Fury welled within her from his drunken giggling fit. She stood in the middle of the bathroom, dripping wet wondering what in the hell she was going to do now.

Keiko turned off the water, then grabbed two towels. She threw one at him, chuckling as it wrapped around his head. She decided it would be best to take off her clothes rather than trying to dry them off with the towel.

"Where are you going?" he yelled when she walked out.

"I'm going to change!" she hollered back, growing impatient with him. She rifled through several of the drawers in his dresser, finding a big soft tshirt to put on. She stripped down to nothing, dried herself off, and slipped on the shirt.

"Wow! Your body is amazing!" he gasped when she turned to face him. He was standing in the bathroom doorway with the towel wrapped around his waist.

"Too bad you won't remember it," she snarled, going to him. She used her towel to dry off his upper body, including his hair. She stepped back to look at him as he swayed slightly. Damned if the man didn't look like Tarzan standing there with his brown shoulder length hair all mussed, his tanned muscular body, and the towel wrapped around his waist. "Oh, my god, you are the sexiest thing EVER! Too bad you're drunk as hell," she groaned, grabbing the towel from around his waist as she walked away from him. "Now get dressed. I'll be right back."

Keiko ran downstairs to the laundry room with her wet clothes and the towels in her hands to throw them in the dryer. She stopped by the living room to check on Naruto who was still sleeping peacefully on the couch. She went back to Mr. Umino's bedroom to find him still naked, lying on his belly on the bed, and dead asleep. "Oh, brother," she grumbled, going to him. She pulled back the sheet and comforter on the opposite side of the bed from him so she could get him covered up.

"Keiko, my darling," he sleepily said, when she grabbed his arm to pull him to the turned down side of the bed.

"Yes, Mr. Umino," she responded in a growl, keeping her eyes on his face as she rolled him over.

"You're so sweet. I thought you were the prettiest little thing I had ever seen when you walked into my classroom that day," he said, touching her face as she tucked the sheet around his body.

"Of course you did, Mr. Umino," she replied, with a detached professional tone like a psychiatrist dealing with a mental patient.

"Please call me, Iruka," he requested, seizing her by the arms.

"Iruka, stop!" she demanded, trying to jerk out of his grip.

"Thank you. Thank you for not letting him see me like this. I'm sorry, Keiko," he apologized seeming to be quite lucid and sober in this moment.

"Get some sleep, Iruka," she said, kissing him on the forehead. Within seconds he was asleep, and she left the room. When she reached the living room, Naruto was sitting up rubbing his eyes. "What's wrong, Sweetie?"

"I had a nightmare. Is Daddy home? Did he come home sick again?" he asked, staring up at her with his big blue eyes.

"Sick?" She sat down beside him gathering him into her arms. She pulled the blanket back over them both to cover up.

"Yeah. Sometimes after he gets those phone calls, he comes home sick. He falls down a lot and smells really bad," the child said giving a simple yet accurate description of his father's state earlier.

"Naruto, do you know who it is that calls him?" Keiko dared to ask, hoping she wasn't treading on dangerous ground.

"I think it's some friend of his. I can't remember the name. Ka –Kaka," he stammered, struggling to make it out.

Keiko felt nauseated. She knew the name. She knew who he had been with. "Sweetie, let's go to sleep okay? I'm really tired," she said, snuggling into him to comfort herself from the horrible feeling growing in her stomach.

That Kakashi creep had called him tonight and somehow got him alone. Obviously the man had not lied when he said they were lovers. Oh, damn, isn't this a messed up situation? Her body shuddered with the memory of the white haired man touching her and the threats he had made. She wondered if he had said anything to Iruka tonight about her. Well, things should be interesting when the morning light dawned. 

* * *

><p>Keiko was in the kitchen cooking with Naruto sitting on the counter beside her happily jabbering away about something when Iruka stumbled in. Both of them looked at him briefly, then went back to what they were doing.<p>

"Morning," he called out since neither one said anything.

"Good Morning, Mr. Umino," she replied coldly.

"You can call me, Iruka," he said, his cheeks burning bright red with embarrassment. "I believe we're beyond being so impersonal."

"Ya think?" she retorted caustically, throwing him a dirty look. She turned her attention to Naruto, taking him under the arms to set him on his feet. She served up a plate of pancakes and bacon for him and handed it to him. "Here, sweetie, go eat," she told him. "Sit down," she ordered his father in a much less friendly manner. She poured two cups of coffee, leaving one black that she loudly plunked down on the table in front of him.

"Thank you." He ventured to glance at her to be pierced immediately with one of the daggers shooting from her eyes. "I want to explain."

"We can talk about this later," she snapped, nodding her head toward Naruto.

"You're right." They sat in a stifling, uncomfortable silence until the child finished eating and asked permission to go play which he was quickly granted.

"Look, before you even begin, you don't owe me any explanations. I already know about your boyfriend because he came to where I work," she snarled through her teeth. She ignored his stunned expression and continued, "He threatened to tell you that I work at a hostess club so I'll just tell you. I want you to understand that I don't have sex with the customers. I only talk and drink with him. He told me to stay away from you. I don't appreciate being threatened, especially by someone I don't know. I'm not even having the kind of relationship with you that he accused me of."

"Are you done?" he asked, staring at her over his coffee cup.

"I could continue but I won't."

"We're going to have work through this somehow. You only have two months left in my class so I think you can deal with it that long. Would you consider quitting your job and coming to work for me? Being a nanny and housekeeper? You can live in the pool house. I need help with Naruto and you need a different job so it will benefit us both," he said in a very logical manner.

"How will your boyfriend handle that?" she shot back cattily.

"Stop calling him that!" he bellowed, slamming the empty cup down on the table. "I believe it would help us all if you took the offer."

"I'll do it. But if you ever again come home in the sorry state you did last night, I will leave immediately. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am. I had no idea you were so forceful," he teased, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, well, apparently there's a lot we didn't know about each other," she retorted, going to pour another cup of coffee for the both of them.

"No time like the present to learn, huh?"

"Do we have a choice?"

"No, not really."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"What a dump," Iruka commented, wrinkling his nose as he walked into her apartment with her.

"I swear, do even consider other people's feelings before you speak sometimes? Do always say whatever comes to your mind?" Keiko asked, truly offended by his statement. She knew it was a dump, but it was HER dump. It was all she could afford.

"For the most part, yes - I do say whatever comes to my mind," he responded truthfully, setting down the empty boxes he had brought in.

It was moving day. With her being single and poor, it wouldn't take long either.

"Hey, Naruto, come here," she said, giving him the task of packing up her books. She showed him how to stack them in the box then left him to it. Most of her possessions were her books and clothes.

"What are you going to do with all of these sexy outfits?" Iruka asked, curiously studying each one.

"I don't know. You want me to model them for you before I get rid of them?" she inquired, giggling as he turned bright red.

"This is only going to take one trip since we have both of our vehicles," he stated with relief in his voice. He really hated this place. Maybe it reminded him too much of his college days.

"I talked to the manager. You'll give him the check to pay out the rest of my lease before we leave right?" she asked, closing the box she had just filled.

"Of course. Don't worry. I'll take care of you," he said, squeezing her arm gently.

Keiko bit her lip when her eyes met his. She mirrored his warm smile. He was so handsome and kind. It was hard for her to think about him in the sad condition he was in a few nights ago. She still didn't understand that event because it seemed so out of character for him.

"Is that it?" Naruto asked her.

Keiko looked around to check. They had five boxes filled and the apartment was empty except for the old, broken down furniture that stayed behind because it was there when she had moved in. As pathetic as it seemed that was everything she owned.

"Wow, this is depressing," she mumbled, picking up a box.

"The amount of possessions you own doesn't determine the quality of your life," Iruka said, picking up two boxes at the same time.

"That's very philosophical of you. Thanks, Dad," she responded sarcastically.

"My, my, my, aren't we a little catty today?" he remarked, walking out of the apartment.

Keiko was dreading having to tell Denji she was quitting. She had put it off for two days already, and Iruka was fussing at her about it. She would quit tonight. 

* * *

><p>"Denji, I quit," Keiko announced curtly.<p>

"What?" he asked incredulously, smiling nervously because he was hoping she was joking. She was his proverbial cash cow. She made more money for him in one night than most of the girls put together.

"I'm sorry. But I've found another job. Tonight is my last night," she said. "Oh, come on, Denji! You knew I wouldn't be working here forever."

"Yeah, I know. I just had no idea it would come this soon. I thought I had until you graduated," he responded, sounding sad and dejected. "Well, if you ever need it, you'll always have a job here."

"Thanks, Denji," she replied, feeling relieved he wasn't angry. She hoped she NEVER had to come back to this job. She kissed him on the cheek and went out to the floor.

A man sitting at table in the corner saw her and beckoned for her to come to him. His black hair was pulled back in a ponytail which reminded her of Iruka. His dark eyes swept over her approvingly, and he invited her to sit down with him. He had narrow, dark eyes that gave him a mean look, but he seemed to be very nice. Usually facial hair was a major turn off for her, but his black goatee was neatly trimmed and looked very nice on him. He introduced himself as Shikaku Nara.

"How did you get those?" Keiko asked, tracing the long scars on his face. One was above his right eye and the other was below it, sitting lower on her cheek.

"Mmmmm, that story is a real drag. Let's talk about something else," he suggested in his deep rumbling voice. He placed his left hand on her knee, and she could see the white ring left by a wedding band. It wasn't unusual for married men to come in here. As a matter of fact, they probably made up for the largest percentage of the customers.

"Your wife?" she cattily responded, tracing the mark on his finger.

"Do you really want to talk about her?" he asked, turning her face to his with his index finger on her chin.

"Why not? That's why you're here isn't it? Let me guess," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder as she held his hand and rubbed her finger over the ring impression. "She's a condescending nag who orders you around and makes you feel emasculated. So you come here, looking for friendly conversation and a pretty little thing to boost your ego. Correct?"

"Right on it. You're good," he stated with a little surprise. He was suddenly fascinated by the young woman sitting beside him, and she had his full attention.

"I bet you're good at what you do to," she murmured suggestively, turning her face toward him to look into his eyes. "Tell me about what you do."

Shikaku Nara was her favorite kind of customer. He talked about himself and his life, even his wife and son. He just wanted to be heard and receive some indication that he mattered.

Keiko gave him the praise and sweet words that he was craving which he did not get from his demanding, overbearing wife. She kissed him on the cheek when it was time for him to leave. Men like him had made this job worthwhile because all he was looking for was someone to speak kindly to him and give him affirmations that he was a worthwhile human being. He never once touched her inappropriately; even his hand on her knee had been within the bounds of decency. As he was leaving, she saw a familiar face walk in that she had never wanted to see again: Kakashi Hatake.

"Dammit," she mumbled when his eyes met hers, and he immediately began walking straight for her. She turned to go hide in the backroom and to let Denji know that guy was here.

"Hello, baby. I've missed you," he whispered in her ear, grabbing her by the hair before she could escape.

How in the hell had he gotten to her so fast? Keiko gritted her teeth to keep from crying out in pain as he pulled her hair while he led her to the secluded table in the back corner.

"Let's talk, shall we?" he asked as if he would give her a choice. He pushed her down on the seat, sitting beside her. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What do you mean?" she inquired, sincerely not knowing what he was talking about.

"You're moving in! That's not leaving him alone," he hissed in her face.

"How do you know? Have you been spying on us? Are you a full on freaking stalker?" she demanded, pushing him out of her face. "YOU need to leave him the hell alone! What did you do to him that night he came home in such a damn mess?"

"I got what I wanted," he responded bluntly.

"You had to ply him with alcohol to get it. Do you think he really wants it if you have to get him so drunk he doesn't even know who he is anymore?" she asked forcefully.

"Let's just say he takes a little more persuasion than most," he said, pushing her into the corner. He put his hands over her breasts, looking into her eyes. "What does it take to persuade you?"

"To have sex with you? Nothing could convince me to do that. Maybe you should take it from me like you do him. Take it by force – is that what gets you off? Do you enjoy hurting him?"

"Maybe. I know I would enjoy hurting you."

"Uh, you disgusting bastard," she growled, attempting to slap him. She stared at him with a stunned expression when he caught her wrist and forced her hand over the bulge in his pants. She struggled to free herself, and she was unable to clamp down on him because he was squeezing her wrist so hard that pain was shooting up her arm.

"Don't fight me. It only turns me on more," he whispered in her ear.

Keiko abruptly stopped moving. Nausea settled on her like and uncomfortable blanket She closed her eyes as he leaned close to her to kiss her. While he was distracted thinking he was about to get a kiss, she turned her wrist and jerked it out of his grasp. She shoved him away from her so hard he slid across the seat which gave her enough room to escape. "Denji!" she screamed, running toward the back. She was hoping the scream would get his or the bouncer's attention.

"You bitch!" Kakashi yelled, grabbing her by her long hair and dragging her to the floor.

Keiko landed flat on her back, unable to breathe momentarily as all of the air was forced out of her lungs when she made contact with the floor. She coughed and struggled to breathe, rolling onto her side. She couldn't cry out when he punched her in the jaw making white stars explode into her vision. She curled up into a ball with her arms over her face and head to prevent him from hitting her again.

"What the hell are you doing, asshole?" Denji bellowed, swinging the metal baton he held in his hand.

Keiko heard the sickening crunch of bone as the weapon made contact with Kakashi's cheek. She heard the man go down right beside her but continued to stay rolled into a protective ball. When a hand touched her, she screamed and began slapping it away.

"Calm down, honey. It's just me," Denji said calmly and gently. "Come on. Get up."

Keiko got to her feet very shakily with his help and allowed him to walk her to the back room. She sat down in the chair he pulled out for her.

"Dammit," he muttered, looking at her face. A huge purple bruise was already forming on her lower jaw where Kakashi had punched her.

Keiko's head swam and her vision was blurry. She wanted to leave but there was no way she could drive home.

"Can someone come pick you up?" Denji asked, his eyebrows drawn together with concern.

"Yeah. Here," she said, handing him her phone after she had dialed Iruka's number. She leaned back in the chair as a sudden darkness closed in on her. 

* * *

><p>"Keiko, come on, honey, wake up."<p>

Keiko could hear Iruka's voice, and he sounded like he was somewhere far away from her. She couldn't figure out how to get to him. Her head ached, and it felt impossible to open her eyes. She was lying in a comfortable bed with her face pressed against something hard and unmoving yet warm and smooth.

"Come on, honey, please," he begged, jostling her gently.

"Please stop," she murmured groggily, her lips brushing against the velvety soft surface. She slowly opened her eyes to see tanned skin filling her vision. "Oh, god," she gasped when she realized she was lying against Iruka's chest. She attempted to move away from him, but he was holding her tightly to him.

"Don't move. Just stay still. I just wanted to make sure you could wake up," he said, nuzzling his face into her hair.

"What happened?" she asked, relaxing in his arms.

"You don't remember?"

"No."

"Damn, that's not good. Something happened at the club. Your boss called me, and I came to get you. I told you not to go back there," he snapped, tightening his arms around her.

"An 'I told you so' isn't what I really need right now," she retorted, laying her cheek against his bare chest. She couldn't believe how good he felt against her.

"What do you need?" he asked, stroking her hair and back.

Keiko's eyes popped open wide. Dare she take advantage of the moment? Would she be bold enough to say what was really on her mind?

"I need you," she said. Yep, she would dare to say it. She shocked herself with her brazenness.

"Not now, honey. I can't do that right now because it would be taking advantage of you," he murmured, not relaxing his grip on her at all. He moved his lips down to her ear whispering, "Soon. Very soon I will have you." With any luck, she would never remember the words he had spoken to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Keiko woke up in her bed in the pool house. If her head and jaw didn't ache so badly, she would have thought last night was a bad dream. She decided to go for a swim to see if that would clear her head. She seemed to remember a weird scene between her and Iruka where she all but begged him to have sex with her. That had to be a dream. She dove into the pool, the cold water shocking her body. It was still early in the morning and the sun had not yet had a chance to warm the water. As she was doing laps across the pool, she suddenly had the distinct feeling she was being watched. She carefully walked up the cement steps built into the pool, looking around to see if she could find who was watching her. Goose bumps rose over her entire body as a breeze blew over her, chilling her to the bone despite its warm temperature. She wrapped her towel around her and hurried to the pool house.

"I won't hurt you," a man whispered in her ear as an arm slid around her waist and the other around her neck. The forearm muscle flexed, immediately cutting off her oxygen supply. "You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?"

Kakashi! That son of a bitch! He released the muscles pressing into her throat to allow her to breathe just as everything began growing dim. She hung limply in his arms, powerless to escape. She could hear the click of the lock engaging in her door as he turned it.

"What do you want?" she asked weakly as he lay her down on the bed.

"I want you, darling," he said, undressing as he stared down her. He smiled mirthlessly because of how easy she had made it for him by wearing the string bikini. All he had to do was untie four strings, and she would be naked.

Keiko watched silently as he disrobed. She hated herself for thinking how enticing he looked and how much she wanted to touch him. He appeared to be nothing but sinewy muscle with skin stretched over it. She could even see the striations of some of the muscle tissue through his skin. No wonder it was hard for her to fight him. He was nothing but tightly packed muscle in a skinny little compact body. He must have given her one hell of a bump on the head last night for her to be thinking she wanted him. Why couldn't she move? Why didn't she run? She held her breath as he pulled her strings, literally: one, two, three, four times.

"Please don't," she begged weakly. It was pathetic really.

"Just relax. You'll like it," he whispered in her ear as he hovered over her.

Keiko placed her hands on his chest, sliding her fingers along the hard smooth muscle beneath her fingers. She turned her head when he tried to kiss her, enclosing his manhood with her fingers. Her eyes closed when he groaned in her ear. She gasped when he pulled her hands away, placing them on the bed above her head.

"You're not going to keep me from what I want," he said, kissing her neck.

"Just do it and get out," she hissed, gazing into his cold soulless eyes. She maintained his gaze as he traced her lips with his index finger. Her lips parted slightly, allowing his finger to move between them.

"Come on, sweetheart. I want you to enjoy it. I'm a good fuck," he whispered in her ear, licking her earlobe. "Just ask your teacher."

Keiko felt like throwing up. She felt like screaming at this man to pick a damn team and get on it already. Bisexual people had always confused her. They seemed indecisive and incapable of making a commitment. Quit being the damn United States of Sex and accepting anything and everything that crossed your borders.

"Keiko," he called, pressing his lips to hers when she looked at him. His tongue invaded her mouth, roughly battling with hers as she tried to push it back.

On a weird level, she was beginning to enjoy this. Maybe it was because of her exceedingly long sexual dry spell. She grabbed his shoulders forcing him over onto his back. A lopsided grin of lustful amusement plastered itself to his face.

"There you go, baby. Come on," he challenged, slapping her on the ass. He leaned back on his elbows to wait for her reaction.

Keiko emitted squawk of surprise from the initial sting. She pushed him down flat on the bed, straddling his hips. She rubbed her body over his erect and ready masculinity to tease him. A spiteful smile curled her lips as he released a long pitiful moan of desire. She did it again, receiving the same results.

"I knew there was a freak inside of you," he murmured, raising up to grab her only to be pushed down to the bed again. "Mmmmm, you're a bad girl. You seem to have forgotten who's in charge here."

Keiko shrieked when he seized her with his strong hands and forced her over onto her belly. Despite her struggling and screaming, he pushed her down, sitting on her behind. She could feel the length of his stiff member along her back. It was throbbing and would twitch with each breath she took because he was so incredibly aroused by her fighting him. He hadn't lied when he told her it excited him; the proof was pressing into her back. She buried her face in the pillow when he began sliding his manhood back and forth between her butt cheeks. What fresh new hell was he planning to expose her to now?

"What do you think I should do with you?" he inquired. "Should I put it in here?" He pressed against her behind, and she so hoped that wasn't it. "Or here?" He pushed and actually entered her a few inches. "Guess this is it," he whispered in her ear, grabbing her by the hips and pulling her up to her knees. He rammed into her, making her cry out. "Oh, yeah, that's definitely it," he murmured, bending over her as she braced herself on all fours. His hands covered her breasts, kneading and squeezing as he lazily moved in and out of her.

Keiko gritted her teeth as he struck deep inside of her, sending bolts of pain through her whole body. She moved forward a bit so he wouldn't keep bottoming out because it hurt like hell. She felt him raise up off of her until he was in a kneeling position behind her.

"I told you that you would like it if you gave it a chance. Tell me how good it feels," he ordered, caressing her ass as he thrust into her again and again.

"When you make it feel good, I will," she cattily responded. A scream tore from her throat when he pulled her up by the hair, holding her body against his. She nearly cried out his name as he rubbed her most sensitive and intimate part with his fingers. Pleasure began to course through her body almost against her will. She writhed against him as he continued stroking her to heighten her bliss.

"Come on, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear. He kissed and nipped her neck as he massaged her toward and orgasm.

"Mmmm, it does feel good," she moaned, pushing herself against his hand. She could tell he was enjoying it too as he grunted in her ear.

"You're a wonderful little thing, Keiko. I want to please you," he said, placing his other hand over one of her breasts to pinch and tease the nipple. He moaned as he was rewarded with a rush of wetness and wail of pleasure from her.

Keiko could feel the spring of ecstasy tightening within her, and she greatly anticipated its release. She bit her lip when he started moving hard and faster inside of her in addition to rubbing her harder. She suddenly cried out, bucking against him so hard he had to hang on to her with both arms when she reached the peak and pleasure exploded within her.

"My turn," he said, pushing her onto all fours. He grabbed two fistfuls of her dark brown hair and pulled as he rammed into her with a complete lack of restraint. Animalistic, guttural sounds rolled from his throat, ending in sharp keening sound when he climaxed. He collapsed on the bed beside her.

"You need to leave," she said with a cruel edge to her voice.

"One of these days, baby," he began, sitting up on his elbows to look at her. "I'll have you and my other favorite lover in the bed at the same time."

"Not likely," she snapped, moving to the edge of the bed. Her eyes flew to his when he seized her by the wrist and jerked her across the bed to him.

"It _will_ happen. I said I'd get you, didn't I?"

Dammit.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Iruka looked out the back door at the pool house. He was worried. It was late in the afternoon and Keiko had not made an appearance all day. He had not bothered her in case she was sleeping or just plain embarrassed by the big bruise on her face. He knew she had been home all day because her car was in the driveway and had not moved. There were no lights and no movement in the pool house. Enough was enough. He grabbed his key to the door in case he needed it. He knocked first, calling her name before he opened it. The knob twisted easily in his hand and the door swung open to an empty room. The sound of the shower running caught his attention. He moved toward the bathroom, calling her name. No answer. The door was wide open, and he found her sitting in the tub, curled in little ball with her head on her knees and her arms wrapped around her legs tightly. He turned off the water because it was freezing cold. After grabbing a towel to wrap her in, he pulled her shivering body from the tub.

"Keiko, what happened?" he asked, wiping off her face. Her lips were pale and trembling, and she refused to look at him. He briskly rubbed the towel all over her body in an attempt to warm her up. "What happened?" he repeated a little more demanding this time.

Keiko turned her eyes to him and he would have sworn he was about to be incinerated by the inferno of anger and hatred he saw there. "Your boyfriend came to see me."

Iruka was so shocked he didn't even bother to correct her. "He was here? Did he rape you?" He gulped down the lump in his throat as he waited for her answer.

"No. Can't really call it rape even though I wasn't exactly willing. I guess you could call it sex under duress. I didn't really want it – especially not from him. But I did enjoy it when I got it," she added, smiling savagely when he immediately developed that green-around-the-gills look of nausea.

"Keiko, I-I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from him. I had no idea he would come here and do such a thing," he said, holding her against him to comfort her and warm her up. He stripped off his shirt because skin to skin contact was good for the transfer of body heat. He picked her up, carrying her to the bed.

Keiko stared blankly ahead of her as he pulled the sheet and blanket over her then slid in behind her. She could feel that he was totally naked as he pressed his warm body against her cold one. Her body was shaking uncontrollably as his body heat started to slowly seep into her skin. His strong arms were wrapped around her chest, pressing her breasts down while he held her with her back against his chest.

"Forgive me. Forgive me for letting him get to you," Iruka begged.

"What is he? Who is he?" she asked. Her body wasn't shaking as much anymore so he relaxed his grip on her a little.

"He's been a friend of mine since we were in college together. That's when we began our unusual relationship," he said.

"I would say that is a gross understatement, Mr. Umino," she remarked in a disturbingly emotionless voice.

"He was in one of my classes and we became friends. He suggested we rent an apartment together so we could get out of the dorms. Soon after we moved in, we got drunk one night and that's when he – he forcefully convinced me to have sex with him," he explained, kissing the back of her neck.

Keiko wondered if he was even aware of what he had done. It seemed like the gesture had been made to comfort himself as he relived the memory. She understood exactly what he meant by 'forcefully convince.' In her short time around Kakashi, she had already learned several things about him. He was very handsome and charming which made it easy for him to manipulate and gain control over people whether it be by force or by playing on their emotions. She remembered the phone call Iruka had received where the man had obviously pulled her kind and loving teacher's heart strings to get him to come over. Then he liquored him up and had sex with him since that was obviously what had worked in the past.

"Iruka," she whispered, turning in his arms to face him. She pressed her lips to his, hearing him sigh with surprise and pleasure.

"Keiko, stop, we can't do this," he murmured, pulling her head back to look at her.

"Why not? Why can't we comfort each other?" she asked, kissing him again. "Besides, can you think of a better way to warm me up?"

Iruka grabbed her head, pulling her lips down to his. He rolled her onto her back, sliding right into her willing body before he could even brace himself.

Keiko put her arms around him, pulling him against her. She arched into him as he thrust in and out of her, his body gliding over hers. The friction inside and out was warming her up quite nicely.

"Keiko, I didn't want it to happen this way," he murmured against her neck.

"Oh, god, Iruka, save the romance for later. If it will make you feel better, send me flowers tomorrow," she said, pulling his mouth back to hers. She thrust her tongue into his mouth as he rammed himself into her body.

"Mmmm, you've got a wonderful body," he growled into her ear. He kissed down her neck and over her chest; she was definitely warm now. He pushed up on his hands to look down at her as he moved in and out of her with long, slow thrusts.

Keiko reached up to release his hair so she could run her fingers through it. She stroked his face with her fingertips, then began working her way all over his body. He moaned occasionally as she studied every inch of his chest and abdomen with her curious fingers. She loved the silky soft feeling of his skin under her hands. A lengthy groan escaped her as she arched her back and moved her hips under him. She was ready to drive him over the edge and hopefully go with him. Her hands gripped his hips as she pulled him against her, grinding into him. She felt pleasure surging through her body with a concentration of warmth and pressure growing in her lower belly.

"Oh, god, Keiko," he moaned when she began moving her hips in a circular motion. He started making a rhythmic groaning sound struggling to move in and out of her as she held him against her. The sensual tug of war only heightened their feelings of ecstasy.

Keiko slid her hands back up his body, twisting her fingers into his long sexy hair. She moved her body in an undulating movement like a belly dancer making him cry out in pleasure.

"How did you learn to do these things?" he asked, his jaw working spastically as he fought for control.

"You're not the first teacher I've had a crush on – or had sex with," she purred, raising her hips hard and fast.

"Mmmm, I bet," he muttered, pushing into her hard. A salacious grin spread across his face when she made a strange squeaking noise. He pushed into her forcefully, and she did it again.

"Okay, now you're just being mean," she whimpered, almost howling as he began moving like an engine piston in and out of her. She hung on for the ride as best she could, crying out his name when the dam of carnal pleasure broke, and she was drowned beneath a flood of pleasure.

"Want me to be mean like that some more?" he asked, gritting his teeth. Somehow he was able to draw her to one more orgasm before he gave up and ejaculated, experiencing a mind blowing climax along with it. He kissed her tenderly on the lips, allowing her to taste his mouth with her searching tongue.

"Wow! You're amazing. It's you sweet, innocent looking men that hold the most surprises," she commented, kissing him again. "Come on, we need to get cleaned up before a certain curious blond comes to find us."

"I took him over to a friend's house to play. We need to get him soon though," he said, watching her stand stark naked in front of the closet searching for something to wear. "Is it too soon to say I love you?"

"Say it because you mean it. Not because you're still in that blissful afterglow stage where men say a lot of things they don't mean," she stated brusquely, pulling a pink cotton dress from a hangar to put it on.

"How are you so bitter at such a young age?" he asked, rolling over on his back.

Keiko threw him a towel, hitting him in the face with it. "I'm not bitter. I'm just pissed off. And I'm not as young as you think I am," she said.

"I thought you were a sweet young thing," he teased, getting out of the bed to get dressed.

"I am a sweet young thing," she snapped, sitting down on the bed to buckle the leather straps on her sandals. "Come on, Dad. Let's go get your boy."

"Let's walk," he suggested, taking her by the hand. "They only live a few blocks away."

"So now what do we do?" Keiko inquired, swinging their hands between them as they walked.

"I'd like to be your boyfriend if you let me. Maybe more someday."

"You think?"

"Oh, yes. It's a definite possibility. Of course, I'll have to check with you first. I won't ask after sex so you won't be suspicious that it's due to a bout of temporary insanity induced by intense sexual gratification," Iruka joked, turning her to face him. He kissed her right on the lips, on the sidewalk , in the middle of the neighborhood.

"What if someone sees?" she asked, slapping him playfully on the chest.

"Let them see. I have a beautiful girlfriend. Where's the shame in that?"

"Hey, Captain Complicated, you seem to have forgotten I'm still your student."

"Ooooh, damn," he muttered. "Well, you are in college, not in high school. All they have to do is look at your work to see that I'm not just giving you the grades, but you deserve them. So what are you afraid of?"

"Falling in love," she answered bluntly.

"I see. That is a problem. Guess we'll have to work on that," he responded, smiling at her.

They walked along talking and laughing until he stopped in front a house. Keiko stared at the mailbox: NARA.

"What is Naruto's friend's name?" she asked, staring at the mailbox as if it were a snake about to bite her.

"Shikamaru Nara. Why?" he asked suspiciously as the color drained from her face.

"Uh, no reason," she answered, leaning against the tree before her weak knees buckled. Shikaku Nara, her last customer, had mentioned his son by name; as if she wouldn't have been able to put it together anyway.

"I'll be right back," Iruka said, going to the door.

Keiko stared at the ground, moving behind the tree to conceal herself. She heard voices but the only grown up male voice she heard was Iruka's. 'He probably wouldn't recognize me anyway without the heavy make-up and skimpy clothes,' she reasoned to herself before deciding to step out from behind the tree.

"Keiko!" Naruto yelled, running to her.

Keiko looked up to see Shikaku at the door standing behind his wife. Poor man – he looked so sad yet resigned to the situation. She lowered her eyes to the vivacious blond running at her full speed. She gathered him up in her arms, spinning around with him clinging to her like a baby koala. Her eyes went back to the door to see a gaping red faced man who thankfully was going unnoticed by Iruka and his wife who were busy talking in front of him. She shook her head, placing her finger against her lips in an attempt to communicate that she would not say anything. She smiled when he visibly relaxed because he understood her message.

"Oh, this is my girlfriend, Keiko," Iruka said, motioning for her to come to the door.

'I am going to kill him. He's so dead,' she thought to herself as she walked to the door hoping her smile did not look too fake.

"This is Yoshino and Shikaku Nara, and this is Shikamaru," Iruka announced, introducing the whole family.

Keiko was amazed how much the little boy looked like his father. She shook the parents' hands, acting as if she was meeting all of them for the first time. Since this was Naruto's best friend, she realized she would have had to face this situation sooner or later. After having a short conversation she couldn't remember if her life depended on it, they headed back home. The little blond held onto her, and she didn't want to let him go especially when he lay his head down on her chest.

"Daddy, is it true what you said?" Naruto asked.

"What son?"

"Is Keiko _really_ your girlfriend?"

Keiko slid his father a wilting, you've-done- it-now stare, waiting for his answer as well.

"Well, yes, son she is," he answered, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He's nervous; he always does that when he's nervous.

"Is she going to be my mom?" the child asked.

Keiko looked at Iruka silently mouthing the words 'you are a dead man.' Iruka totally believed her by the look she was giving him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Keiko avoided Iruka's eyes during class. Every time he looked at her she would blush and couldn't think. That was not a good thing since she was still having problems with this class. At least she could ask the teacher later because he would be right there next to her. A pleased grin spread across her face with that thought. When class was over, she stayed in her seat as he came toward her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, reaching out to run his fingers through her hair.

"Don't do that. As much as I like you touching me, we're trying to hide this remember?" she reminded him, causing him to quickly pull his hand back.

"What are you going to do now?"

"Go home to do my job, clean house that kind of stuff. Then study. Want me to pick Naruto up from school?"

"That would be great."

"Iruka, I hope you were sure about me. I love that little boy, and I don't want some whim of yours about me to break his heart," she said pointedly, staring into his deep brown eyes.

"I'm sure, Keiko, or I wouldn't have said anything to begin with. Just calm down. Everything will work out," he assured her, taking her hand in his.

"What about Kakashi? What do we do about that problem? He always seems to be lurking somewhere," she murmured, shivering at the thought.

"I don't know," he said, his cheeks turning a bright pink color.

"I better go. See you later." She grabbed her book bag and slung it over her shoulder, knocking herself right into his arms like she did the first day of class.

"You really should do something about that bag," he teased as he looked down at her in his arms. He kissed her briefly on the lips then stood her back up.

Keiko rather liked the book bag; it was what had started this whole thing. 

* * *

><p>"Mrs. Umino?" the teacher asked as she opened the car door for Naruto.<p>

"No, ma'am, I'm his girlfriend, Keiko," she corrected her, reaching across him to shake the teacher's hand.

"I'm Mrs. Akihito. It's nice to meet you. We're having a class party on Friday, would you mind bringing something?" she asked with a hopeful look on her face.

"Of course. Do you need me to stay and help out?"

"Oh, would you? That would be wonderful!" Mrs. Akihito exclaimed with an expression of relief on her face. "Good –bye! See you Friday."

"So, Blondie, what do you want me to bring to your party?" Keiko asked as they drove home.

"It's a Valentine's Day party. Can you make heart shaped cookies?" he inquired, staring at her with the blue eyes she couldn't say no to.

"I can do that. Let's go find a heart shaped cookie cutter," she suggested, going toward the mall instead of home.

"Keiko, do you love me?" he asked.

"Yes. Yes, I do, sweetie."

"I love you too." 

* * *

><p>When they arrived at the house, Iruka was not home yet. There was a box propped against the door that Naruto picked up and shook it violently. Hopefully it wasn't anything breakable because if it was it would indeed by broken now. The package was addressed to her with a big forwarding sticker on the front her old address. She doubted it was anything important.<p>

"Can I open this?" he asked, shaking it some more.

"Go ahead," Keiko said as she unloaded their supplies to bake the cookies later in the week.

"It's a book," he announced with obvious disappointment. "It's got a dirty picture on the front!"

"What?" She snatched the book out of his hand to look at the cover. It was in fact a half dressed couple in a very compromising position. Her eyes moved down to the author's name, a single word: Jiraiya. "Dammit!"

"Keiko!" Iruka exclaimed behind her, laughing when she jumped nearly a foot off the floor. "What's that?"

"A book," she replied, hurriedly flipping through it. She froze on the dedication page: To my beautiful muse, Keiko. "Dammit!" she repeated.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious. I can see that it's a book. Can I see it?" he asked, taking it from her when she wouldn't willingly hand it over. He stared at what she had been looking at.

"You?"

"Yes, me."

"I think I've got some reading to do tonight," he said, flipping through a few of the pages.

"Don't you dare!" she yelled, jumping for the book he held above his head. "That's not fair to the vertically challenged. You're mean as hell Iruka Umino."

"No. I'm just terribly curious. Inspired by you, huh? I can definitely see how you could inspire men to think things," he teased, winking at her.

"Hmph," she snorted.

"Grown-ups are weird. I'm going to play," Naruto grumbled, shaking his head.

"I've been waiting to do this all day," Iruka said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her into him.

Keiko sighed as his lips met hers for a kiss that conveyed the longing he had hinted at. She placed her hands on his waist as a deliciously warm feeling flowed from her head down to her toes. He was a great kisser.

"I want you with me tonight," he whispered against her lips, holding her close to him. She had slept in the pool house last night despite the declaration of their new relationship status. "I want you with me always."

Silly romantic fool. But he was her silly romantic fool. 

* * *

><p>"Be sure to tell me which parts of this were inspired directly by you," Iruka said as they were lying in bed together and about to begin reading the book.<p>

Keiko laid her head on his chest after she nestled beside him while he held the book up for both of them to read. She cuddled into him feeling quite happy and cozy. She had never read one of Jiraiya's books so she was curious to say the least.

"Wow! This guy is even dirtier than I thought," she remarked after reading a few pages. "And no, none of that was from me."

"I've got to ask...how many other teachers have you slept with?" he asked abruptly, taking her by surprise. She thought for sure he had forgotten about that.

"Well…" she began slowly, choosing her words carefully. Her first teacher and, the first time she had sex, was her eleventh grade science teacher. He was fresh out of college, and it was his first year as a teacher. She would stay after class every day to ask questions and one day they got a little too carried away with a physiology lesson. It happened again the next year with her calculus teacher. There was a teacher her first year of college as well; she couldn't remember which class he taught.

"Have you ever had sex with a boy your age?" Iruka asked, interrupting her spiel.

"No. Why should I?" she inquired. "They don't know what they're doing. Someone like you knows how to please a woman."

All rightie then. Can't get much more blunt than that. Iruka suddenly began to wonder what he had gotten himself into. He had inadvertently caught a tiger by the tail, and she might just claw him up.

Keiko kissed him, gliding her fingers down his abdomen and under the sheet. She sighed as she took him in her hand, rubbing her body against his side. Her hand stroked him as he pushed aside her nightgown and moved to her breast. She moaned as his lips closed around her nipple after licking it to an almost painful hardness. She squeezed his hard maleness in her hand, making him groan with pleasure.

Iruka rolled onto his side next to her, sliding his body against hers. He felt her open her legs and rub the little head he was thinking with right now on her warm wetness that felt so good. He pushed his hips toward her, and she guided him into her body. A groan rolled from his throat as he penetrated her as deeply as he could by her pulling him in with her hand on his hips.

Keiko kissed him as she moved him slowly in and out of her. This position allowed for leisurely enjoyable lovemaking because it was nearly impossible to hurry or move too fast. Her eyes held his as they worked their hips together, creating a delicious friction that made her tremble with sexual bliss.

"You're amazing," he whispered, pulling her lips to his for a kiss. He had to break the kiss to moan as a surprising burst of pleasure swept through his body.

"I love you," she whispered, tears appearing in the corner of her eyes.

"What? Do you mean it?" he asked, brushing away the tear that slid from her eye with his thumb. He didn't wait for her to answer. He pulled her against him, rolling her over onto her back.

Keiko howled as he sank all the way down into her when he lay down on top of her. She cried out again when he rammed into her sending a pleasurable pain up her spine. Three simple words had turned him into a beast. From the statement 'fuck me now' she would have expected this reaction but not something like a declaration of love. This man was definitely different from any others she had known; so sweet and kind, almost overly sensitive in matters of the heart.

"Iruka," she called, touching his face that was now red and dripping with sweat from his efforts. "Love me."

"I do," he responded, slowing down to long luxurious strokes almost pulling all the way out before he pushed back in. "I will."

Keiko moaned as her body vibrated with ecstasy from feeling every inch of him. She felt him watching her as he hovered over her so she opened her eyes to meet his. Her hand pressed against his jaw while her thumb moved across his mouth, then traced his lips.

"Do you ever think about him when you're with me?" she inquired, staring into his dark brown eyes. She knew he would understand the _him_ in question.

"No. Why would I?" he asked, kissing her thumb as she held it in front of his lips.

"Just wondering. You know what else I'm curious about?" She pushed her thumb between his lips as he shook his head. She pushed up on her elbows to bring her face closer to his. "I'm curious to know what it would be like to be with the both of you at the same time?" Her thumb moved in and out of his mouth suggestively as she watched and licked her lips.

Iruka thought he might explode right then between what she was saying and what she was doing. He couldn't believe the effect it had on him. Was she serious? Would she really want to do that?

"Do you like the things he does to you? Does it feel good? Tell me. I want to know," she said, removing her thumb from his mouth.

"At first I didn't like it. I never even considered being with a man – ever. Then after a while, I don't know, it just didn't seem so bad or wrong. And yes, it felt good. Really, really good," he admitted, his body shaking with pleasure from the thought. "Keiko, I can't keep going much longer talking about this while I'm inside of you. I've got to –"

"Do it then," she ordered, grabbing him by the back of the neck and shoving her hips up at him.

Iruka pushed her back down on the bed, thrusting into her hard several times to make her climax first then himself soon after. His mind replayed the conversation over and over as they lay in each other's arms to go to sleep. What in the world had made her bring that up? Was it just a 'heat of the moment' kind of thing or did she mean it? He almost couldn't sleep for the thoughts swirling around in his head, especially the ones that involved the three of them in bed together.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Never confess in the dark what you won't admit in the light," Keiko announced suddenly after they had dropped Naruto off at school and were headed to the college.

"What?" Iruka asked, risking a glance at her in his confusion.

"Did you mean what you said last night?"

"About what?"

Really? He really couldn't have forgotten between last night and this morning. Maybe that was her answer right there. Words spoken in the heat of passion were rarely sincere. It was too easy to get caught up in the moment, the pleasure, and say something you normally would not.

Keiko sighed and closed her eyes. That was okay with her. She wondered what she had been thinking considering inviting that _man _into their lives, especially such an intimate part. Her eyes opened when she felt his hand on hers, squeezing it gently.

"I was hoping you didn't mean it," he said softly, lacing his fingers through hers.

"I didn't," she rejoined flatly.

"You did really well on your last test," he complimented to quickly change subjects. "Not much longer and you'll be done with the class. And the quarter. You'll graduate right?"

"Yes. I'll have my master's in psychology. I've always been under the impression that most psychologists were as sick as the patients they treated. Now I know I'm right," she said with a sardonic smirk on her face.

"Interesting way of viewing it. You seem to have a different way of seeing a lot of things than most people," he responded, turning off the vehicle after they parked. He turned to look at her, leaning across to quickly kiss her lips.

"Come on, Mr. Umino. We've got a class to get to." 

* * *

><p>Keiko gathered all the components for making cookies under watchful blue eyes. She handed Naruto the recipe, ordering him to read each ingredient off the list and make sure it was on the counter. After checking that, she asked him to gather the other items they would need such a mixing bowl and measuring cups. She couldn't help but smile at the excited child who rushed around happily. The pride showed all over his face that he was making the cookies with her assistance. His father was sitting at the kitchen table grading papers and would occasionally cast them an approving smile as they worked together.<p>

Keiko heard his phone ring but didn't think too much of it until she heard a distinct change in his voice. He sounded upset and irritated. The phone call could only be from one person to have that effect on him. "I'll be right back. Don't stir that too much. Wait for me okay?" she said to Naruto. She washed off her hands before she went to Iruka who was standing at the French doors staring outside.

"No. I won't," he said, jumping when she put her arms around his waist. He turned around, putting his arms around her shoulders to hold her to him.

"Give me that," she demanded, snatching the phone from him. "Hello, lover," she purred into the phone.

"Oh, it's you," Kakashi responded with a tone of pleasant surprise to his voice.

"Why don't you come over tomorrow night for dinner? We all need to have a talk to get a few things sorted out," she said boldly, grunting when Iruka squeezed her so tightly she thought he would snap her in half.

"Are you crazy?" he whispered in her ear.

"Are you serious?" Kakashi inquired. Both men were indignant and didn't like the idea. How ironic.

"Yes," she replied flatly, answering both of their questions. She pressed her lips to Iruka's since he was in her face. "Be here at eight o' clock. I'll have something special waiting for you."

"I bet," he snorted in response.

Keiko handed the phone back to Iruka who still looked shell shocked by her unexpected invitation. "All right kiddo, where's the rolling pin?' she asked Naruto when she walked back into the kitchen. They were rolling out the dough when his daddy came into the kitchen to help.

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" Iruka asked, pinching her behind hard enough to make her yelp as she bent over to slide the trays of cookies in the oven. His son was busy cutting out more hearts so he didn't notice what the adults were doing.

"Do you mean that in a good way or a bad way?" she queried, rubbing her sore butt.

"I'm not sure yet."

After dinner, Keiko mixed up the icing to decorate the cookies. For the most part she allowed Naruto to decorate them as he liked with only a little guidance from her. She piped the letters I and K in icing on a cookie for Iruka. She went to him at the kitchen table where he was finishing grading the tests.

"Here, honey," she said, kissing him before she handed it to him.

"Ooooh! Can I have one?" the hyperactive blond inquired. It was nearly eight, and he was just as energetic as when he came home from school.

"You can have _one_," she responded before his father could answer. She went to the counter, piping the letters of their first names on a cookie. She held it out to him but pulled it back before he could grab it. "No! You've got to pay the price first." She bent down so he could reach her cheek. To her great surprise he puckered and let her have it right on the lips. "Ooooh, Daddy! You got a little flirt here!" Keiko exclaimed, watching the boy turn bright red as she handed him the cookie. She smiled when he jumped down from his perch on the barstool and ran off with the cookie in his hand.

"Like father, like son," he sighed with satisfaction, putting his hands behind his head with a rather smug grin on his face.

"So, Daddy," she murmured, sitting down in his lap. "What kind of dessert do you have for me?"

"Guess you'll just have to wait a little while to find out," he said, kissing her briefly on the lips.

"Yo, Blondie! Bath time!" she yelled, hearing the typical groans and protests from the youngster.

Just before time for bed, they were sitting huddled together on the couch in the living room with Naruto in his Daddy's lap and Keiko snuggled next to them reading a book. She smiled when the child reached over and began stroking her hand and arm as she read the book. Her eyes moved to him to see that he was just about to go to sleep, his droopy eyelids sliding closer and closer to being fully closed. She watched him, making up parts of the story instead of reading the book as he drifted off to sleep.

"Your baby's asleep," she whispered to Iruka who was about to nod off to sleep himself.

"All right. I'll take him to bed," he said, turning the little blond around to hold him against his chest as he stood up.

"Mama," Naruto whined sleepily making them both freeze and their hearts stop beating. "I want my Mama."

Keiko assumed he meant her and stood up to take him from Iruka. Her eyes locked with his, and they were both too shocked to say anything. She had been right because Naruto sighed contentedly as she nestled him against her chest to take him upstairs. All she could think was how deep they were into this thing now. The issue of Kakashi would be taken care of Friday night because this relationship had just gotten a sudden and surprising shove into serious.

"Should we go pick out rings soon?" Iruka inquired when she returned to the living room.

"Only if you want me," she answered, sitting down beside him.

"Naruto's staked his claim to you. Maybe I should as well," he said, pulling her into his lap.

"A claim huh? If that's your idea of a proposal it needs work," she joked, kissing him on the lips.

"No. When I propose officially it will be much better," he assured her. "So what do you have planned for tomorrow night?"

"The issue of Mr. Hatake will be taken care of tomorrow night so we can have a long happy marriage."

Iruka had no idea what she meant by 'taken care of' and he was too afraid to ask. He never knew what to expect from the lovely, and always surprising, young woman sitting in his lap. He never would have guessed the clumsy, harebrained student who annoyed him to no end would one day become his wife. 

* * *

><p>The school party was a blast. Mrs. Akihito was thrilled to have Keiko there to help out with the twenty rambunctious children especially after they were fully fueled with sugar and caffeine from the numerous treats that had been sent to school. Those cowardly mothers had stayed home to avoid the hyperactive children they had caused by sending all the junk food. Keiko took the class out to the playground and ran them around to get it out of their system so they wouldn't drive their teacher crazy for which the woman was very thankful. When they day was over, an almost tearfully grateful teacher hugged her warmly and invited her to come back any time she would like.<p>

"Come on, boys!" Keiko called to Naruto and Shikamaru. She was taking them to Shikamaru's house where Naruto would be the staying the night. She had asked if he could sleepover because she wanted him out of the house for tonight with the possibly volatile situation at hand. After dropping them off, she went home to start cooking dinner.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Iruka inquired as she was putting the finishing touches on dinner.

"No," Keiko replied honestly. "But you can't keep letting him manipulate you. I don't want to live in fear of that psycho lurking around corners waiting for me. Or for you for that matter. Something has to be done."

The doorbell rang as if on cue. Keiko straightened her short purple dress before going to answer the door with Iruka right behind her. She opened the door to see the white haired fiend standing there looking as if he had arrived to pick up a date complete with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

"These are for you, my love," Kakashi said, pouring on the charm as he laid the massive bouquet of wildflowers in her arms. He put his hands on her cheeks pulling her face to his to kiss her. He kept the kiss brief since she struggled to pull away from him.

"Come in, please," she snapped, wanting to kick him in the ass as he walked by her. She moved between him and Iruka to keep him from getting his hands on her man. Her eyes met his defiantly, daring him to do something.

"You're such a lovely little thing. So fiery, so passionate," he murmured, running his fingertips down her cheek and across her jaw.

"I'm glad you like my fiancée so much," Iruka stated loudly to gain the man's attention.

Kakashi stared at him as if seeing him for the first time. "Your _what_?"

"That's why I asked you to come here tonight. I want you to leave us alone. The _both_ of us," Keiko said in a threatening tone.

"Oh, yes, my feisty girl. It's not fair. Well, the two people I'm in love with are going to get married. How ridiculously ironic," he virtually purred, reaching out to touch her arm.

"Do you think you can behave yourself long enough to have a pleasant dinner that Keiko cooked for us?" Iruka asked, putting his arm around her shoulders possessively. His eyes met the other man's with a look of determination and aggression.

"I see. When did you grow a backbone? You've always been so compliant. So _easy_," he remarked emphasizing the word in a way to hint at a double entendre.

Iruka cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably from the comment. He continued to hold Keiko firmly against him.

"Come on," she said, grabbing Kakashi's hand. "It's a peace offering."

Peace always comes at a price. Keiko wondered what price they would pay tonight to have that peace.


	10. Chapter 10

Graphic malexmale rape scene.

Chapter 10

After dinner, which went surprisingly well, they moved to the living room where a bottle of wine was opened and their glasses were filled. Kakashi could be a very pleasant person, even enjoyable. He actually apologized to Keiko for hurting her, admitting he let his jealousy and rage get the best of him. She smiled insincerely when he apologized, offering no reply in return. He reminded her of the typical abuser who commits horrible acts of violence then is terribly repentant later. He doubted he was sorry, but even if he was, he would do something again - abusers always do. The proof of him being a repeat offender lies in the longtime relationship with Iruka. He abused his so called best friend emotionally and sexually, maintaining the disturbing and destructive relationship for years. It's such a sad codependent – no, a parasitic relationship. They live off of each other's sickness and depravity, thinking they have to have it to survive. They feel they can't live without the other person no matter how bad they are for them.

Keiko leaned forward to refill her wine glass, looking over to see Kakashi staring appreciatively at her ample cleavage that was showing from the low cut dress. She grinned sensually at him then sat back on the couch to snuggle into Iruka. Her eyes maintained white haired man's gaze as his eyes narrowed in anger. Oh, the green eyed monster makes an appearance. She kicked off her high heels, stretching her legs before she propped her feet on the table.

Iruka turned her face to his with a finger on her chin. He pressed his lips to hers not giving their guest a second thought. He slid his tongue through her parted lips, tasting the red wine in her mouth.

Keiko felt a hand slide down her chest and into her dress to grope her breast. It took her muddled brain a second to realize that Kakashi was sitting on the other side of her, and he was the one grabbing her breast. She pulled her lips from Iruka's to turn her head to look at him. A gasp escaped her when his mouth covered hers for a hard, sloppy kiss with his tongue stroking hers while Iruka's hands slid up her thighs, pushing them apart gently. She broke the kiss from Kakashi, her eyes meeting Iruka's whose head was hovering above her lap.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Just one night. I promise," he said, kissing her thigh just above her knee.

"One night and I'll be gone," Kakashi added, pushing her dress away from her breast before he lowered his mouth to her nipple to tease it into hardness with his tongue.

Keiko moaned, running her fingers through his hair. She cried out when she felt Iruka's tongue on her wet, throbbing womanhood. She moved one hand down to his head nestled between her thighs, grasping a handful of his long brown hair.

"Come on. Touch me. Please," Kakashi begged, placing her other hand against the rigid mound beneath his belt.

"Take it out," she ordered, brushing her lips across his. She opened her mouth and groaned loudly as pleasure raced through her body from the mouth working on her between her legs. Her fingers grasped the erection placed against her palm, squeezing hard as she was sucked hard.

"Mmmm, baby," Kakashi murmured, returning his mouth to her nipples.

Keiko cried out, feeling her body begin to unravel with the overwhelming pleasure. She yelled their names, bucking her hips against Iruka's face while Kakashi tried to hold her down with his mouth still suctioned to her breast, but the ecstasy was too much. She writhed and called their names again and again as the pleasure surged over her in waves. When she finally stopped moving, Iruka sat up and was about to wipe his face with his shirt when Kakashi grabbed his wrist. She watched, transfixed by the disconcerting sight of the two men kissing inches from her face. It's one of those things that are repulsive and fascinating at the same time. Her eyes could not leave them as the white haired man proceeded to lick the lips, chin, and cheeks of the other man, to greedily lap up any evidence of her climax that she had left on Iruka's face.

"She tastes good, doesn't she?" Iruka asked, grabbing the man's head and giving him one final kiss on the lips before they separated.

Oh, damn. This was an unexpected event. Keiko hastily poured herself another glass of wine and slurped it down while the two of them were undressing. They pulled her up from the couch to stand between them, undressing her next. She felt a flurry of hands and lips and tongues all over body before they finally took her down to the floor. She was surprised it was Kakashi who slid into her while Iruka stood behind him watching. Her eyes locked on his dark brown ones that watched her with a strange mix of sadness and arousal in them. Her fingers dug into her present lover's ass, pulling his cheeks apart. She bucked her hips, raising them both off the floor as if offering the man to him. She mouthed out the words 'fuck him' to Iruka because he had told he was always the receiver of their relationship. Besides, what better going away present could this guy have than a literal 'fuck you.'

"What are you doing?" Kakashi asked as Iruka knelt behind him.

"I'm going to do to you what you did to me for so many years," he said, positioning himself to thrust into the other man.

"What?" the other man inquired, screaming like a woman when he was penetrated forcefully.

Keiko grabbed Kakashi's hips as he was thrust forward hard into her. It was very stimulating in an incredibly warped way that she and her fiancée were at this very moment screwing the same man. The once demanding and aggressive man between them had been reduced to a whimpering, trembling mass begging for mercy as he was violated again and again.

"What's wrong? Don't you like it?" Iruka growled through gritted teeth, ramming into him vigorously which in turn shoved him into Keiko. It was the oddest and most sensual game of tug of war ever.

"It hurts," Kakashi whined, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Does it? Do you want me to stop?" He grabbed a handful of the tormented man's hair, pulling hard.

Keiko was beginning to get a little worried that Iruka was taking a little too much pleasure in the other man's pain. Paybacks are hell and right now he was paying it.

"Yes, please," he begged.

"No!" Iruka exclaimed. "We're all about to end this so hang on for the ride."

Keiko couldn't tell exactly who he was warning or if it was more of a threat. She held onto the waist of the pitiful wretch of a man on top of her as he was shoved in and out of her by the man pumping him hard from behind. She closed her eyes, waiting for that wonderful pressure of mounting pleasure to build within her. Her moans grew louder and steadier as it came near.

Both of the men began writhing and thrusting uncontrollably from their orgasms which in turn caused Keiko to go over the edge for a mind blowing orgasm that was not only one for her body but a mind fuck as well from what had just taken place. She moved over so they could lay down, one on each side of her. They became a tangled mass of arms and legs as they lay there panting for air, worn out an exhausted from the aberrant sexual encounter they had just experienced.

"This is good-bye from us to you," Keiko announced, pressing her lips against Kakashi's in a vicious, brutal kiss. A malicious grin spread across her face as she grabbed the violated man by the chin and forced him to look her in the eye. "That was our special way of saying fuck you. If you ever come back, I'll kill you. That's one body I'll make sure they never find."

The two flabbergasted men gaped at her as she stood up and walked out of the room.

"Do you think she would really do it?" Kakashi asked when he finally found his voice.

"Oh, yes, I'm quite sure," Iruka replied. "I think you should leave now." 

* * *

><p>Keiko was in the shower allowing the boiling hot water to run over her skin. She wanted to feel clean, needed to feel clean. She lathered up the washcloth for the third time and scrubbed it over her body. Her body was red as a lobster and raw looking by this time. What the hell had happened to her? She had a temporary psychotic break is what happened to her. She had wanted revenge; revenge for what Kakashi had done to her and for the years of abuse he had heaped upon the man she loves. Their problem should be gone by now - permanently.<p>

"Keiko, what have you done to yourself? Get out, honey," Iruka said, gently pulling her out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around her and sat her down on the toilet. He was afraid what little skin she had left would tear open if he tried to dry her off. "Stay right here. I'm going to take a shower, and I'll be right out."

Keiko grabbed him before he had the towel secured around his waist after he got out of the shower. "Do you love me?" she inquired, the discomforting sound of desperation dripping from her voice.

"Yes, I do. It will be okay. He won't be back. It's just us now. You did what you had to do to protect all of us. I'm sorry I was so weak," he murmured, pulling her against him.

"You can't help everyone. Especially those who don't want to be helped. You were trying to save him from himself all these years. He only took you down into his degradation. Tell me you love me," she begged, her brown eyes wild and unfocused.

"I love you," he whispered, tangling his fingers into her long wet hair.

"Tell me again."

"I love you."

"Show me," she ordered, pressing her mouth to his. Her tongue was immediately in his mouth, stroking and sucking his lightly when he pushed hers back. "Take me, please. Make love to me. I need you."

Iruka took her to the bed, laying her down. He hovered over her briefly before he kissed her again and slid into her. Her arms and legs enclosed his body as he lowered himself into her. Her own actions tonight had frightened her, and she was seeking the closeness and comfort of the one she loved the most. She never ceased to shock and amaze him. Right now was no different as her fingernails dug painfully into his behind while she moved him in and out of her so violently he was sure he would hurt her.

"Don't stop. It's okay," she assured him breathlessly.

"Oh, Keiko," he murmured in her ear, burying his face against her neck.

Keiko cried out his name as an orgasm wracked her body with mind numbing pleasure. She continued to move as his moans grew louder, drawing him to a climax as well. She held onto him as he released into her with a loud yell.

"My god woman, you are amazing. Scary as hell but wonderful," he panted, kissing her as he twisted his hands into her hair.

Keiko turned away from him as her body began to tremble with heart wrenching sobs that she couldn't contain any longer. She was startled by him rolling her back over and pulling her against his muscular chest. Her tears dropped onto his warm brown skin as she cried. She bawled until her eyes hurt and her throat was sore.

Iruka held her tightly, rocking her gently. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I love you."

"It's truly over with him, right? You'll never leave me for any reason?"

"Never."


	11. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Hey, Blondie, are you ready to walk me down the aisle?" Keiko asked Naruto as he pulled at the bow tie around his neck. She knelt down in front of him to fix it. He looked so cute in his little tuxedo. "My, you are such a handsome man."

"Oh, Mama," he muttered, blushing deep red. "I'm ready. Let's get married."

Keiko held his hand and pushed opened the French doors for her new son to lead her to his Daddy and her husband to be. She smiled as they neared him with her attention focused solely on him. The preacher and their few friends waited under the huge oak tree for the beautiful blushing bride. She nervously smoothed down her strapless dress of purple silk that flowed behind her as she walked.

"You're so pretty, Mama," Naruto said in a mock stage whisper since small children aren't capable of actual whispers. Everyone smiled and a few amused giggles ran through their small audience.

Keiko smiled broadly at Iruka when she stepped up beside him. Her heart fluttered as he took her hand, his eyes meeting hers. Today they would become husband and wife. This was more exciting than when she crossed the stage last week to receive her master's degree in psychology.

"Who gives this woman to be wed?" the preacher asked as part of the traditional opening of their ceremony.

"I do!" the vivacious blond exclaimed proudly. He puckered and kissed Keiko on the lips when she knelt down in front of him. A loud "Awwwww" erupted from their group of friends. He ran to his seat next to his best friend Shikamaru.

Keiko did not hear a word the preacher said from that point on. She was too focused on the man standing in front of her who would very soon be her husband. She even had to be prompted a few times by Iruka who squeezed her hand when she missed her cue to say 'I do.' A faint blush colored her cheeks, and she held back from laughing at herself for being so silly.

"You may now kiss your bride." Those words rang loud and clear in her ears; that cue she did not miss.

Keiko leaned forward to receive a brief chaste kiss from her new husband. They would spare their guests from anything longer or more passionate. Some things need to be kept behind closed doors as they well knew. 

* * *

><p>Iruka continued his career as a teacher at the college. Needless to say, he did not give any more private tutoring sessions.<p>

Keiko opened her own private counseling practice specializing in treating patients with aberrant sexual behavior and sex addictions.

Jiraiya published several more books dedicated to her since she provided him with a never-ending source of inspiration for his books. He also became a role model and a teacher of sorts to Naruto despite the boy's parents' misgivings about exactly what kind of influence perverted author would have on their child.

Naruto grew up in a normal healthy home with two parents who loved him dearly. He was not the least bit embarrassed that his mother was a sex therapist. The fact his very pretty mother was a sex therapist seemed to fascinate his friends to a great degree when he was older – but that is another story entirely.


End file.
